'Black history did not start with slavery,' Kitchener students tell classmates

Three students at Eastwood Collegiate Institute in Kitchenerwanted to empower their classmates through the school'sannual Black History Month Assembly by sharing a fuller view of their past.

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"I want them to know that black history did not start with slavery," Grade 12 student Sabrina Mohamed said. "We had a really, really rich African history. I want my friends to recognize history, that black people did contribute to the society."

"I don't think people know their history, in general. I personally did not know it until I was 15," said YorsaliemHaile, who is also in Grade 12.

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"To my shock, I realized there's way more than Muhammad Ali and slavery and activists. I realized there have been kings and queens, and empires and dynasties."

Listen to interviews from Friday's assembly: